Helping Preschoolers with ADHD

10/31/2007

Helping Preschoolers with ADHD

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.
Viktor Frankl

Helping preschool children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may require more behavior therapies and less medication. This is the conclusion of a study, "Multisetting Assessment-Based Intervention for Young Children At Risk for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder," published in School Psychology Review (Vol. 36, #2; http://www.nasponline.org).

The study, conducted by multiple researchers from different universities, examined a sample of 135 preschoolers over five years and used behavior-only therapy between parents and children to help the youngsters learn how to interact better with classmates and teachers. The study's report observes that 1 to 4 percent of preschool children are diagnosed with ADHD. But the report cautions against diagnosing children with ADHD when they are in preschool.

Nature to the Rescue

Evidence suggests that children's hyperactivity is lessened when they spend more time in natural outdoor settings. Learn more about the many benefits of reconnecting children with nature at the Working Forum on Nature Education for Young Children: New Tools for Connecting the World's Children with Nature at the Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska, July 21 - 23, 2008.

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Are you ready to give something back to your community by becoming a teacher? Walden University offers accelerated, online teacher preparation programs with an optional Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree.

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